Mount Ayr Community School graduates 46 students
PROTECTED CONTENT
If you’re a current subscriber, log in below. If you would like to subscribe, please click the subscribe tab above.
Username and Password Help
Please enter your email and we will send you a password reset link.
By Jeff Snyder
MOUNT AYR, Iowa — The Mount Ayr Community High School saw a packed gymnasium on Sunday, May 17, as people from all across Ringgold County gathered to wish the 46 new high school graduates good luck. High school principal Josh Vanderflught, standing along side of superintendent Jason Shaffer, welcomed the all gathered and the expected graduates to the ceremonies that would honor and send off the class of 2026 to their next challenges in life. Vanderflught read off the names of a groups of students who had received various special awards, including to those that had served the community through hours of public service. He then invited the class valedictorian, Aubrey Shields onto the stage, where she delivered a deeply personal and at times funny address to the audience, sharing stories of her impressive athletic career and her fellow student athletes. She expressed the importance of this time to her fellow students lives and the importance of staying grounded, especially in faith. The audience was then treated to a video depicting the “then and now” of each graduate. The giant screen situated at the front of the stage flashed pictures of each graduate “then,” a picture of the student when they were little, and “now” a picture of the graduate today along with their name. The video was set to the backdrop of inspirational music which seemed to be well received by audience members who gleefully cheered when their special graduate appeared on screen.
Once the video presentation was completed, graduates, who were seated in the front two rows of chairs were invited, one-by-one, to receive their diplomas. The students filed across the stage and were handed their respective diplomas along with a white flower as they returned to their seats. Once all the students received their diplomas, Vanderflught directed the graduates to move their tassel on their cap from one side to the other signaling completion of high school and then formally introduced the new graduates to those in attendance to thunderous applause. The students then partook in the time honored tradition of tossing their caps into the air in celebration. Slowly and methodically the students filed out of the gym to be met by family, friends and neighbors as the celebrations began.
Numerous graduation parties were held Sunday evening throughout the community enabling the recent graduates to celebrate and then to contemplate the next steps in their journey. High school graduation is an incredibly important event to such a close-knit community. These young people represent the future and will largely be responsible for how small town Iowa continues to make its mark on society. Congratulations to the class of 2026.
